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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 28, 2009
CONTACT: DICK JORDAN
"TURKEY NIGHT" CHAMP SANTOS LATEST TO ENTER "JEGS CROWN MIDGET SUPER NATIONALS"
Bobby Santos III of Franklin, Mass. is the latest to file an entry for the April 4 "Jegs Crown Midget Super Nationals" at the Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway. Santos will compete in the USAC Mopar National Midget Series event on Saturday night, while the Ford Focuses share the Saturday night billing on the track's 1/3-mile oval. USAC .25 Midget racing is also slated at the track's 1/20-mile oval on Saturday and Sunday.
Santos recorded his biggest racing victory last November in the "Turkey Night Grand Prix" USAC National Midget race at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale, Calif. He passed Indianapolis 500 veteran Davey Hamilton nine laps from the finish to post the win in the 98-lap race.
Santos only competed in four USAC Midget races during 2008 but finished fifth in the "Night Before the 500" at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis and added a third at ORP later in the year. His five career USAC Midget triumphs include a 2006 victory at Columbus, plus wins in the 2006 "Night Before the 500" Classic at ORP, and at Concord, N.C. and the Milwaukee, Wisc. Mile, also in 2006. He also owns three USAC Sprint wins, at ORP in 2007 and at ORP and Toledo in 2006.
"I'm really optimistic about our chances," says Santos, who is undefeated on the 1/3-mile Columbus oval! His only previous start there ended in victory lane in 2006. "We debuted a new car (Beast/Esslinger Ford) in Texas (Kyle on March 14) and got to sort out the bugs and we should be ready to be competitive when we get to CMS. The track is tricky to pass on and qualifying is important, but we're looking forward to getting back there."
Nicknamed "Bobby New England," Santos is a versatile racer, having also competed in NASCAR's Nationwide Series and the ARCA Stock Car Series with a measure of success in each. He has a sister named Erica who also races and in 2005 she joined Stephanie Mockler and Alison MacLeod on the podium after the three ladies scored USAC's first-ever female USAC podium "sweep" in a Ford Focus feature at the Indianapolis Speedrome.
Fans attending Saturday's Columbus events will have a rare opportunity to visit the pit area to view the racing machines and get autographs from the drivers in a special two-hour "open house" from noon until 2 pm. USAC teams are also planning appearances at Columbus-area businesses during the week prior to the race and detailed information regarding those appearances and car displays will be released when firm.
Information regarding tickets for the "Jegs Crown Midget Super Nationals" USAC races at Columbus Motor Speedway can be obtained from Heidi Drake at the USAC office, at 317-247-5151.
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